I Married the Mad Duke Who Killed My Husband - Chapter 17.1
“Ah, we’ve arrived.”
Although he referred to it as ‘that,’ Cassion seemed genuinely intent on showing off our relationship.
I recall spending all of yesterday utterly exhausted. I had to struggle to dissuade Cassion from trying to coordinate our outfits for the imperial palace visit, dismissing it as childish. Then I had to console him when he became upset, before finally selecting different clothes for each of us.
Despite consoling him yesterday, he still looked a bit sulky as we got dressed. Through the side window, I could see the imperial palace drawing closer.
“Welcome to the imperial palace.”
Soon after, the carriage stopped, and the Second Prince, who was waiting with a few attendants, greeted us with a smile. Then, as if to escort me, he extended his hand towards me.
“Step aside.”
As I was about to take his hand, Cassion rudely swatted the prince’s hand away and stepped out of the carriage.
“Asil.”
Then, subtly pushing the prince aside, he extended his hand to me. Suppressing a laugh at the sight of the bewildered prince and the confident Cassion, I reached out my hand.
“Thank you, darling.”
“Be careful.”
As I stepped out of the carriage, I could sense a few servants glancing at me while looking at the ground. They might have seen Cassion a few times, but probably never me.
Today, since I didn’t need to look imposing, I wore my hair down with waves and a lovely dress with a slightly puffed skirt to maximize my natural charm.
I remember how hard it was to dissuade Pia, who wanted to come along to help with my appearance the next day.
The Second Prince, who had been smiling, now awkwardly pushed back, muttered wistfully as he watched me gracefully descend with Cassion’s escort.
“I was going to show the Duchess around the palace…”
“That won’t be necessary.”
But I want to see the imperial palace… However, it seems impossible to escape from Cassion, who’s holding my hand.
“I see. Then I’ll quickly guide you to your room before lunch.”
Usually, an audience just involves greeting the Emperor and that’s it. But we have been invited to lunch with the Emperor.
Given the atmosphere, it seems the Second Prince will also be attending, making it an undeniably burdensome occasion.
“This way, then.”
The Second Prince, still wearing his amiable smile, personally guided us to our room. After he dismissed the servants who had come to greet us with a wave of his hand, Cassion, who had been walking a few steps behind, approached right next to the prince without letting go of my hand.
“I have something to tell you.”
“Go ahead.”
“…”
“Ah, I see.”
Even though Cassion didn’t say much, the prince nodded, maintaining his smile, seemingly sensing the gravity and confidentiality of the matter from Cassion’s silence.
I thought we were going to talk after lunch, but are they discussing it already?
“The Duchess must be tired from the journey, so I’ll show her to the room. You can come out alone. She won’t cry if you’re apart for a moment, will she?”
His Highness asked Cassion, who was clinging to me tightly, ignoring all etiquette in the imperial palace. Instead of Cassion, who was frowning, I intercepted the answer.
“I will.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll be the one crying. So please just let us go together.”
I’m the source of the information, so why are they trying to talk without me? The journey from the Duke’s mansion to the imperial palace wasn’t far, and the carriage sent by the imperial palace was exceptionally comfortable.
Moreover, I went to bed early yesterday and took my medicine this morning, so I was full of energy.
“Hmm…”
The Second Prince let out a hum and looked at Cassion, who nodded with a sigh. It probably meant asking if it was okay for me to hear.
“I’m not sure if there will be time, but it might be better to tour the garden first. The spring flowers are in full bloom and quite beautiful.”
“I’m looking forward to it, Your Highness.”
I smiled brightly and clung closer to Cassion. The prince, wearing an indecipherable smile, turned his steps towards the garden instead of the room we were heading to.
As we followed, we came upon a garden that was clearly not open and spacious, but shadowed by large trees. When we seemed to have reached a suitable spot, the prince stopped and looked at Cassion as if to say, “Speak now.”
“Information has come in about an assassination attempt on His Majesty the Emperor.”
“The source of the information?”
“…”
“My lady, the source of the information?”
Cassion lowered his voice and immediately got to the point. He didn’t look at me or mention me when the Second Prince asked about the source. But sensing something from his silence, the prince turned to me and asked again.
Indeed, he’s different from someone naive who trusted and worried about me unconditionally.
“I overheard it briefly at the recent reception, so I couldn’t confirm the faces. But I’m certain about the conversation regarding the assassination, Your Highness.”
I had prepared this excuse knowing this might happen, but it’s terribly inadequate. But I really have nothing else to say. I thought about saying I heard it from my family who ran away, but that doesn’t fit the situation. In the end, I feigned ignorance.
“Given the gravity of the matter, the evidence seems lacking. How do I know this isn’t information you’ve fabricated?”
“It’s not my wife. I’ll vouch for her.”
Despite his smiling face, it’s quite a sharp question. I was about to explain that I, an illegitimate child of a family that has not only fallen but fled to the countryside, have no reason to do such a thing, when Cassion stepped in front of me, blocking me.
His broad back blocks the line of sight between the prince and me.
“If this turns out to be false, would you be willing to forfeit your title of Duke again?”
“What?!”
“Yes.”
My answer and Cassion’s overlapped with different intonations. Unlike me, who was shocked, Cassion answered without the slightest hesitation. I leaned to the side, curious about the expressions of the prince who fell silent after hearing that answer and Cassion, but I couldn’t see because Cassion didn’t move aside.
“Then I must believe you. Your intuition and candid words have saved me on the battlefield as well.”
Only when the prince’s tone softened again did Cassion move his body that was blocking me.
“We suspect that toxicity is triggered when two different foods or utensils meet. I hope there are sufficient antidotes prepared in the imperial infirmary to counter this.”
“I’ll check on that.”
Once again, I could only see the prince’s smiling expression, and I couldn’t help but be bewildered by the swift delivery of this crucial information.
“Well then, we can’t be late for the audience with His Majesty the Emperor, so it’s better to go straight to the dining hall and check the room later.”
The prince, who hadn’t shown a moment of surprise or bewilderment, guided us again as if nothing had happened.
